Mumbai: The Ambernath Municipal Council election in Maharashtra has proven that nothing is permanent in politics. In a surprising turn of events, archenemies BJP and Congress have joined hands to keep Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena away from power.

Formation of 'Ambernath Vikas Aghadi'

To seize control of the local body, the BJP, Congress, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP have united to form a new alliance called the ‘Ambernath Vikas Aghadi.’ With the strength of this coalition, BJP's Tejashree Karanjule Patil defeated Shiv Sena's Manisha Walekar to be elected as the President of the Municipal Council.

The Numerical Breakdown:

The coalition achieved a clear majority with the support of 32 councillors:

* BJP: 16 members

* Congress: 12 members

* NCP (Ajit Pawar faction): 04 members

Major Embarrassment for the Shinde Camp

Ambernath falls under the Lok Sabha constituency of Shrikant Shinde, son of CM Eknath Shinde. The fact that the BJP, an ally at the state level, teamed up with the Congress to defeat the Shiv Sena in its own stronghold has come as a massive blow to the Shinde faction. "The BJP, which talks about a ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’ at the national level, has embraced the Congress at the local level just for power. This is unethical politics and a betrayal by the BJP." Balaji Kinikar, Shiv Sena MLA

How does the BJP justify this?

"Under the long-standing rule of the Shiv Sena, corruption and a culture of intimidation were rampant. To make Ambernath fear-free and bring development, we set aside our ideological differences to align with the Congress," said Abhikith Karanjule Patil, the leader of the alliance.

Congress's Reaction:

The state unit of the Congress has maintained its distance from this development. A party spokesperson stated, "Decisions at the local level might have been taken by local leaders keeping local interests in mind."

In conclusion, this "internal rift" between allies in a prominent Lok Sabha pocket has created a major stir in Maharashtra politics.